Under A Sky Full Of Stars
by ishkaqwiaidurugnul
Summary: An unprecedented event is about to occur in Middle-earth... The wedding of an elf and a dwarf. However, Kili's harbouring some last-minute fears about, uh, the more delicate proceedings following the marriage. Fili's trying to reassure him, but let's just say he doesn't exactly speak from experience. How exactly is this interracial relationship going to work out, anyway?
1. The Talk

**AN: Hello and welcome to my fic, in which I have written lots of fluff, lots of innuendos, and numerous attempts at humour which may or may not be successful. Enjoy! :)**

Kili sat on his bed, nervously fiddling with his meticulously braided dark hair in anticipation for the day ahead. He smoothed the front of his embroidered velvet jacket. They were fancy clothes he wasn't accustomed to wearing, and he felt more than a little uncomfortable. For this was the day of his wedding, the unprecedented union of a dwarf and an elf. Kili was completely torn between being incredibly excited and at the same time scared out of his wits. Would he be a good husband? Would Tauriel be able to adjust to living with the dwarves? Would he be able to provide everything she needed and wanted? Would their union be accepted by his people?

And in the back of his mind, he kept wondering about everything the night would hold...

"Kili? Are you all right?" Fili interrupted his thoughts, startling him. "You look..."

"Nervous?" Kili quavered.

Fili sat down on the bed next to him. "Aww, Ki, what's the matter? Aren't you happy?"

"Of course!" Kili exclaimed.

"Then what's there to be nervous about?"

"Well... a lot of things, but there's one thing that I'm just really unsure about..." Kili trailed off.

"What's that?" Fili put his arm around his brother's shoulder reassuringly.

Kili shifted uncomfortably. "Well... it's... it's about tonight."

"The feast? I'm sure the royal cooks have got it all in order, don't you worry!"

"No, it's not about the feast, it's about after!"

"The toasts? Don't worry Ki, I haven't got anything TOO embarrassing planned for my speech! You can count on me, okay?"

"After the speeches," Kili said shyly.

"The dancing? I thought you knew how to dance!"

"No, after the dancing!"

"Well, after the dancing, it's off to bed! Nothing more to say about that!" Fili said matter-of-factly, completely missing Kili's point.

"EXACTLY," Kili said, ducking his head and blushing.

Fili looked at his brother's face for a couple seconds and then said "Oh. OH!" very loudly.

"You idiot," Kili whispered.

"Sorry," Fili grinned sheepishly. "I guess my mind wasn't quite on the right track. But why are you so worried about that? What do you want to know?"

"What to DO!" Kili exclaimed, avoiding eye contact. "She's... she's so beautiful, and pale, and tall, and I'm short and dark and ugly and... what if she sees me and changes her mind about me? What if I do something wrong and... she'll think I'm a child? She is a whole lot older than me, anyhow-"

Fili clapped a hand over his brother's mouth and hushed him. "She loves you for who you are, not what you look like," he said. "Isn't that how you feel about her? Wouldn't you still love her, no matter what's under her clothes?"

"Of course," said Kili. "And... she feels that way too?"

"Of course," Fili smiled.

They were quiet for a minute or two, and then Kili started, "But, what if I DO make a mistake?"

"At what?"

"In bed!"

"How could you possibly make a mistake?"

"I don't know! I don't even know what I don't know! How do I-?"

"Go for the spot between her legs," Fili suggested.

Kili punched him.

"Are you sure you're really mature enough to be getting married?" Fili grinned.

"Well you've not been of much help, older brother," Kili scowled.

"It's your own fault for marrying an elf!" Fili laughed. "How on Arda are you supposed to sleep with a girl who's twice your height?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you!"

"Next time," Fili winked, "go to Uncle for sex tips."

Kili gasped, and cried out, "Are you kidding me? I'd sooner ask our mother than ask uncle Thorin!" Kili burst out laughing. "But imagine his face if we did, though!"

Fili snickered. "I know! What I wouldn't give to see his reaction!"

"I doubt he's ever even done it," Kili mused.

"Shut up Ki, I don't need that image in my brain."

"YOU shut up! I didn't even _have_ that image in my brain until you said that! What is WRONG with you?"

"You're the one who said it!"

"You're the one who brought up Uncle Thorin!"

"Well you're the one who started talking about sex in the first place!"

Kili suddenly blushed. "I hope no one's overheard this conversation."

Fili looked around warily. "These stone walls are pretty thick."

"Well, you were yelling pretty loudly, Fi."

"Only to get it through your thick skull," Fili grinned, ruffling his brother's hair. "Well, Ki? You excited?"

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "It's time to begin," said a gruff voice. The door opened, and Thorin walked in. "Well?" he asked. "You ready?"

Kili took a deep breath. "I can't believe this is real."

Thorin smiled when he saw his nephew's bright eyes and expression of amazement. "Come on then," he said, "you don't want to be late to your own wedding."


	2. The Walk

Kili followed his brother and uncle as they descended down the stone stairway. His boots, polished neatly for the occasion, rang out in the silence, echoes reverberating against the walls. Kili took a shaky breath as he reached the bottom, paused for a moment, then turned the doorknob and stepped through into blazing sunlight.

Blinking for a few seconds while his eyes adjusted, he suddenly found that all eyes were on him. He was standing beside a side door in the mountain, on a grassy hill, in front of rows upon rows of dwarves on either side of a path of flower petals. Kili even saw several elves in the back row before he ducked his head out of shyness. Then he felt an elbow poking him in the side. "Kneel down," Fili whispered to him quickly.

Kili wished he had paid more attention at weddings he had attended when he was a dwarfling. He hastily and somewhat awkwardly bent down on one knee, even though he wasn't quite sure why. Then Thorin stepped out from behind him, wearing his most regal furs and looking every bit the King under the Mountain. He raised up a mithril circlet on a velvet pillow, delicately wrought strands intertwining like vines, and announced, "Today, we celebrate the union of two cultures, two races, that have long despised and sought to destroy one another. Though we have many differences, we share a common goal and a common hope for peace in Middle-Earth. Therefore let us put aside our differences and support these two in the choice they have made to be wedded today. Let this signify a new alliance between Durin's folk and Mirkwood. I hereby apologize for all the wrongs myself, my companions, and our forefathers have committed against the elven race in the past, and vow to live in harmony with all the children of Iluvatar. As my sister-son, I now place this crown on the head of Kili, Prince under the Mountain, and give him my blessing to wed Tauriel of the Woodland Realm."

In saying this, Thorin gently placed the silvery circlet on Kili's carefully-braided hair and bid him rise. Kili did so. Thorin placed a hand on Kili's shoulder, smiled at him, and quietly said, "Turn around."

And then Kili forgot everything else.

It seemed to him that an angel, perhaps one of the great spirits of Valinor herself, had alighted at the end of the pathway. Her hair, red-gold in the afternoon light, tumbled freely over her shoulders, interwoven with tiny and intricate elven braids. Her gown seemed to be woven out of the earliest gossamer buds of spring, and on her head was a crown of delicate flowers. But it was her face, her shining face, which captivated Kili more than anything else. Her smooth skin, her pink lips, the curve of her nose and jaw. Kili could not have imagined anything more perfect if he had spent his entire life endeavouring to do so. And her eyes sparkled and laughed as she smiled at him from across the field.

As Tauriel began to walk down the aisle, Kili, who hadn't moved a muscle, suddenly grabbed his brother's arm and whispered, "Fili."

"What?"

"She's… she's perfect."

Fili's grin almost split his face. "Excited _now_?"

Kili nodded; his current vocabulary having been already exhausted.

Tauriel reached the end of the path and took her place beside Kili, who couldn't keep his eyes off her. She smiled and blushed, looking prettier than ever.

Now Thorin held up a cord woven of three brightly-coloured strands, one black, one white, and one red. Kili recognized this and took Tauriel's hand in his.

Thorin began to speak again. "In keeping with the ancient traditions of Durin's folk, I present the _dorok_." He spoke as if he were telling an old tale to young children. "This cord is wound of three strands: the black; for diligence, because no marriage can succeed without hard work. The white; for peace, between the two families who are now joined together through marriage. And the last, red, for love, the strand which binds a marriage together. A cord of three strands is not easily broken."

With that, he took the cord and bound their hands together, tying a tight and intricate knot. Thorin raised their hands up and said the traditional words: "I present to you today a newly wedded couple! Let the bond that has been tied today never be cut."

As if on cue, the crowd of family members, friends, subjects, be they dwarf, elf, wizard, hobbit, or otherwise, all stood up and burst into hearty cheering and applause. Kili looked out upon the crowd incredulously, almost dazed with joy. Fili leaned in and whispered in his ear, "You may now kiss the bride." So Kili reached up, touching his bride's smooth Elven cheek, and stood on his tiptoes, and Tauriel bent down and gently kissed him.

In the front row, the rest of the company whistled and hollered congratulatory phrases. Kili and Tauriel were now ready to begin their married life.


	3. The Fruit

Tauriel, hand still bound to Kili's, tugged at his arm joyfully. "Let's go!" she said. "I have something to show you!"

Kili, literally tied to her, didn't have much choice in the matter, but he went gladly, curious about the first path he would walk with his new wife.

She led him over the scattered flower petals, down a grassy slope, towards a small grove of trees clustered near the river. The crowd followed, but Thranduil and Legolas went on ahead. When Kili reached the grove, he could see a freshly-dug hole in the ground beside Thranduil, who began to speak.

"As this union brings together two races and two ancient cultures, it is only natural that we perform these sacred rites according to the respective customs of them both. In Mirkwood, it is customary that the couple plant a tree together, as a symbol of their new marriage, that will grow alongside them and bear fruit. This seed," the Elvenking continued, "is the seed of the maedhorn tree. These trees are rare indeed in the Woodland Realm, yet we give it to you today as a gift from all our people. May it grow and bear much fruit, just as you will."

Legolas winked at Kili, who blushed but pretended not to notice.

Thranduil handed the seed to Tauriel, who placed it gently in the earth. With their free hands, Kili and Tauriel smoothed and patted the earth over the seed.

"Now rise, and take the age-old vows which have bound our people together from the beginning of time," Thranduil said gravely. "Will you, Tauriel, Daughter of Mirkwood and Captain of the Guard, vow to protect Kili, to stay by his side, to love him and to remain faithful to him, in sickness and in health, in war and in peacetime, through whatever may come to pass?"

"This do I vow, today and forevermore," she responded.

"And will you, Kili, Prince under the Mountain, vow to protect Tauriel, to stay by her side, to love her and to remain faithful to her, in sickness and in health, in war and in peacetime, through whatever may come to pass?"

With a deep breath, he repeated the words Tauriel had said. "This do I vow, today and forevermore."

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife, to remain together eternally, bound by love."

There was a short silence as Thranduil's solemn words hung in the air. Kili wondered if he was supposed to kiss Tauriel again, or if he was allowed to take off those irritating ribbons yet, or if he'd _literally _be bound to his wife for all eternity… And then Bofur called out quite loudly and enthusiastically, "Time for drinking!"

A raucous cheer proved the dwarves were in hearty agreement. Thranduil's lips curled just the tiniest little bit. "I did bring quite a fine Dorwinion," he said. "2882. Very good year."

Legolas grinned. "Tauriel, aren't you still below the drinking age, though?"

"Shut up!" she laughed, giving him a friendly nudge. "I'm over 600 years old!"

"And how old's your new husband? A hundred? Quite the cougar, aren't you?"

"Dwarves age faster, and I know you know that. When you work it out, it's equivalent-"

He laughed. "I'm just teasing. Congratulations, both of you."

"Thanks," said Kili. "And by the way, I'm 77."

"Aww, you little baby," Legolas joked, pinching Kili's cheek.

"Hey, hands off! He's my baby!" Tauriel laughed.

Fili joined them as they walked back up the hill towards the Great Hall, where the feast would soon commence. "Hey," he whispered to Kili, smirking. "Ready to 'bear fruit' yet?"

"Fi, it's just a metaphor," Kili groaned.

"Can I order some apples?" Fili went on.

Kili grinned and said, "Make your own. I've seen you looking at Sigrid, you know."

Fili went a bit red. "W-who's Sigrid?"

"Nice try," said Kili, winking at his brother. "But, I'm not buying it."

Fili kept his mouth shut for awhile after that.


	4. The Vegetable

**AN: Wow, I definitely did NOT expect such a quick and enthusiastic reaction to this fanfic. Thanks to ALL my reviewers and followers! This story will probably have three or four more chapters, so I hope you enjoy them! (It's kind of a fluffy oneshot). Also, this is rated teen, but it's not a smutfic, if that's what you were looking for. Basically, my goal is to lay out how Kili and Tauriel's relationship would actually work, and the challenges they would have to overcome together.**

Once the bride and groom reached the Great Hall, the feast began. The dwarf cooks had been slaving away in the kitchens since the crack of dawn, preparing a meal for hundreds of guests fit for a royal wedding. The result was an unimaginable amount of food and drink: dwarven fare such as roast fowl, ham, mashed potatoes, stew, pork (the dwarves were major carnivores) and lighter elven fare (gifts from Tauriel's friends and relations) such as salads, delicate fruits, pies, tarts, seed-cakes, and soft fresh bread. Kegs around the room held dwarven ale and beer, and the Elvenking opened many bottles of fine Mirkwood wines (as well as his favourite Dorwinion, which he kept close at hand). Kili and Tauriel took their place at the head of the highest table, still handfasted. Tauriel had it easy because her right hand was free, but Kili was merely making a sad attempt at eating left-handed.

"Maybe Legolas was right," Tauriel mused.

"Hmm?" Kili looked at her quizzically.

"Maybe you _are_ a baby," she laughed. "Do you actually need me to feed you?"

"I'm fine!" Kili insisted with a lopsided grin. "Although my right hand _is_ a bit numb. Thorin didn't have to tie this thing so bloody tight!"

"I know right?" she whispered, glancing over at Thorin on the other end of the table. "It's just symbolic, right? When can we take it off?"

"You have to leave it on for now," Gloin interrupted, overhearing their conversation. "It comes off tonight… with all the rest." He winked, chuckled, and took a swig of his ale.

Kili and Tauriel were suddenly very interested in playing with their food.

"Aye, well you're certain to have your hands full getting it on with that one, laddie," Dain added brusquely. "She looks a right meek thing, even if she is tall. I'll have no creamy-faced, whispering elf-maidens! Give me a stout, fierce, fiery little dwarf-lass any day!"

Tauriel let out a sad little sigh, and Kili could see the hurt in her eyes. This wasn't how he wanted it to be. He wanted his wife to feel at home, to be accepted right from the very start.

"Tauriel's not meek," Kili replied firmly. "She was the captain of the Mirkwood guard. She's slain countless orcs. She saved my life, during the Battle of the Five Armies."

Dain looked up, and for a moment Kili was frightened that he'd have a full-blown argument with his second cousin, and that his wedding would go down in history as a mistake and a scandal. But Dain only said gruffly, "Is that so?" and went back to his leg of roast chicken.

Tauriel sighed again, this time in relief, and said, "Thank you, Kili."

"Thank _you_," he corrected her, "for saving me, more times than I can count."

Her eyes shone. "I love you."

Every time Tauriel looked at him like that, Kili felt like his heart couldn't possibly fit any more love in it, and would burst.

She looked down for a second, and then back at his face, frowning slightly. "What's wrong?" Kili asked, a flutter in his chest.

"You have a little something right…. _here_," she said, touching his chin gently.

Kili flushed, realizing he _was _eating like a baby. "S-sorry," he said.

"It's hard to eat with your left hand! Unless you're left-handed, which you just happen to _not_ be… Here," she said, grabbing his fork and spearing a broccoli. "Open wide!"

Kili bit his lip and turned his head to the side.

Tauriel laughed. "Come on, Kili. You have to eat your vegetables so you'll grow nice and tall!"

"I don't even like broccoli," he protested.

"Well, why'd you put it on your plate then?"

"B-because," he stammered, "_you_ had some."

"If you put it on your plate," she whispered gravely, "_you have to eat it._"

Kili's mouth dropped open, either in surprise at her sudden seriousness or in compliance with her demands, and Tauriel took her opportunity and stuffed the broccoli into his mouth.

Kili chewed, swallowed, and said quietly, "It's better than I remember."


	5. The Giving

**AN: This chapter's awfully long for some reason, I hope that's okay! I couldn't find a good place to end it except for right here. Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Enjoy some speeches and Figrid foreshadowing :)**

After the meal and the dessert (which everyone was too full to have, but had anyway), it was time for the toasts and the presentation of gifts. Thorin went first, as he was the King, and gave, in his usual fashion, a very grand and lofty speech. Kili knew that in his own way, it was heartfelt. Thorin's gift was a fine wooden table made from costly teak from the south, which they accepted gratefully.

Fili was up next, and Kili steeled himself for an endless onslaught of embarrassing stories from his youth. But to his surprise, Fili stood up at the table… and started to _cry_.

Quickly, he regained his composure, but the tears were still bright in the corners of his eyes as he sighed, "Mahal, this is embarrassing."

He looked directly at Kili and continued, "In the battle… I thought I was going to lose you."

Kili's throat suddenly constricted.

"I'll admit," Fili added, "that when I first saw you looking at Tauriel when we were held prisoners in Mirkwood, I thought you were mental. I thought, actually, that you might have been going a bit mad from being shut up in a cage for so long."

Fili's audience laughed, and he went on, saying, "And _then, _when you two started to get to know each other a bit better, and Tauriel healed you and you flirted with her like _mad…_"

Another laugh. Tauriel giggled and raised your eyebrows at Kili. "It wasn't quite like that," he began to protest, but Fili cut him off. "When all that happened, I thought, 'Mahal, he hasn't got a chance. She's going to break his heart and I'm going to have to help him put it back together.'"

"To be honest," Kili interjected, "I kind of expected the same thing."

"Really?" Tauriel asked.

"Oh come on, Tauriel, you know you're out of my league."

"W-well, in all honesty, I wasn't planning on falling in love with you. It just kind of... happened."

Fili gave the pair a look.

"Sorry, continue," said Kili.

"Well, I just wanted to finish by thanking Tauriel for NOT breaking my brother's heart, and even more for saving his life, and I wish you two all the joy in the world. You found a good one, Ki," he ended, smiling.

Fili's gift to the couple was a lovely set of serving dishes hand-painted from Dale. Next, it was Dis' turn to publicly give her congratulations. It was strange for Kili to see his mother get emotional; growing up, he had always been the crier, and his mother and brother had been able to remain quite stoic through the worst of times. But the gleam in Dis' eyes was unmistakable.

"I…" She paused. "Kili, I am so proud of you."

"Thanks," he managed to choke out.

"When you left home, I was so afraid… I made you promise to return home, and Tauriel, I will never be able to thank you enough for helping my son to keep that promise. Thank you for my son," she said, eyes overbrimming with tears that threatened to spill onto her face.

Tauriel bowed her head as a gesture of respect.

"It won't be easy, especially at first," Dis continued with a deep breath. "As a married couple, you two will be different from other married couples, and different from each other. Others will disapprove of your choice. You will disagree with each other. But don't let your differences drive you apart. Let them strengthen your relationship and complement each other. Our world is still a harsh one, full of prejudice and ignorance and hatred. However, from now on, you two are a team, and no one can take that away from you."

Dis' gift included some fine hair ornaments for both Tauriel and Kili, typical courtship gifts amongst Durin's folk which in this case had not been yet been given. With all the disaster and trauma caused by the battle, and the subsequent aftermath, Kili and Tauriel had had a hasty courtship (if one could call it that at all). In fact, it had mainly consisted of treating of wounds, assisting in the cleanup and restoration of Erebor, and a single moonlit walk along the river at which time Kili found the courage to ask for Tauriel's hand in marriage. The rest, as they say, is history.

After Dis, the members of the company all congratulated Kili heartily; if they had any reservations about his wedding to an elf, they politely refrained from expressing them. Gifts were given in abundance: woolen wraps and winter mittens from Ori, a chest of drawers from Balin, finely-woven curtains from Bofur, strange and exotic sweets from Bombur, and many more costly items from the rest of the company. Gandalf's gift was a mysterious-looking package, which, when unwrapped, proved to be firecrackers of high quality.

"I heard you both share a great love for the stars," said Gandalf, who smiled, sipped his red wine, and lit his pipe. "I made some for you."

At that moment, Kili heard the sound of small feet pattering up beside him. He turned to see Bilbo standing there holding a very small carved wooden box. "I didn't want to give a speech," he said shyly, "but I did get you something. It's small, just a trinket really, but…"

"Thank you, Bilbo," Kili smiled. "That means a lot to us, really."

Bilbo opened his mouth, paused, and then said, "I-I'm glad. I'm glad you all came to my house that day and mucked it up. I… I really think my house, and my life, was in need of some good mucking-up at that point, do you know what I mean?"

"Of course," said Kili. "I may be the prince under the Mountain, but I'm the king at mucking things up."

Bilbo laughed. "Well," he said, "this whole adventure worked out pretty well for us all."

"I'm having a bit of an off day today, but I promise I'll start mucking things up just like usual tomorrow morning," Kili grinned impishly.

"Oh no you won't," Tauriel interjected, "because we're going to decorate our new house together."

"Oh no, I'll have to reschedule my next muck-up until next week," he joked. His eyes fell on the carved box. "Bilbo, should we open it now, or-?"

"Whenever you like," he said. "Maybe now's a good time… It's just a bit of a wedding tradition that we have at home. I'll leave you to it," he said, waving at them on his way back to his place.

"You open it," Kili told Tauriel. She gently lifted the lid of the little box. Inside, on a simple cotton pillow, rested two delicate silver rings, each set with a small glittering red stone.

"How lovely!" Tauriel exclaimed.

"Wherever did Bilbo find these?" Kili mused.

"We have to go over and thank him! Come on!" Tauriel stood up very suddenly, jerking Kili to his feet. "Sorry," she laughed awkwardly. "I forgot about the whole handbinding thing."

They walked over to where Bilbo was sitting. "How did you find these?" Kili asked him.

"They're beautiful," Tauriel added.

"Uh, I um... had them made when I heard you were engaged," he stuttered.

"Bilbo! You did not! That must have cost a fortune!" Kili cried, aghast.

"But it's for you," he said simply.

Seeing the shock on their faces, he quickly explained, "In the Shire, it's tradition at a wedding that the bride and groom have rings made. They wear them forever after to show their love for each other. Here, you put her ring on her left hand, on _this_ finger," he gestured, "and Tauriel, you put his ring on his left hand."

Kili slipped the silver ring onto Tauriel's slender finger, and she did the same for him. "They even fit perfectly! How… how did you-?"

Bilbo shrugged. "Dwarves have big hands, so I used Fili's as a measurement for Kili. For Tauriel's, I asked Sigrid. So really it's quite lucky that they both fit."

Kili stared at Bilbo. "Please don't ever go home," he said softly.

Bilbo burst out laughing. "I'm glad you've grown so attached to me," he said. "But I do have to go home. My heart lies in the Shire, in its fields and valleys, and in the comforts of my own hobbit-hole and my own feather bed. But I… I'm going to miss you all." His eyes filled. "Will you come and visit me?"

"Of _course,_" Kili said. "We'll all come and visit you… That is, if we're welcome."

"Anytime," Bilbo smiled.

A young elf escort tapped Tauriel on the shoulder. "Tauriel," he said, "the elves await their turn to give their gifts."

"Oh, oh of course, I'm sorry," she said hastily, dragging Kili back with as she whirled around. "Sorry!"

Kili decided he preferred elven and hobbitish wedding traditions to the confines of dwarven handbinding.

Elves, he soon discovered, were also fond of Thorin's lofty and lengthy style of speaking. It took some time to get through several speeches from Thranduil, Tauriel's mother, and other friends and relations. It was obvious in Legolas' speech that he still harboured some reservations about Tauriel wedding a dwarf, but Kili knew he meant well. And although the speeches were long, the gifts were beyond anything Kili had ever imagined. The fabrics were light and silky, like jewel-hued gossamer. The carvings were skillful and delicate. Everything was a piece of art.

"Is our house even going to be big enough for all this?" he whispered to Tauriel after all the gifts had been opened, exclaimed over, and spread out across the Great Hall.

"Probably not," Tauriel said, "but you know what? I bet we can re-gift some of it."

Kili looked confused. "To who?"

Tauriel raised her eyebrows and glanced meaningfully towards the table at their left. Kili looked over and saw Fili sitting with Sigrid. She was laughing at something he'd just said, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes bright. "Won't be long now," Tauriel whispered.

Kili just stared at his brother's face. He could see exactly what Fili was feeling, just by looking at his face. That _never_ happened. Fili had always been able to put on a mask and hide his inner emotions. But now… he looked so _happy. _"Mahal," Kili whispered. "He loves her. He really loves her."

"You boys," Tauriel smiled, shaking her head. "What's wrong with dwarf-women?"

"They're not you."

Tauriel smiled. "What about Fili?"

"Who knows? I was convalescing at Bard's house, so I really haven't got a clue what they got up to while I was out."

"Convalescing? You were on death's door! You were about to become a wraith!"

"Well, that's a technicality…"

They were interrupted by the sharp, clear note of a fiddle cutting through the roar of conversation. "Clear the floor!" Thorin called. In the twinkling of an eye, dishes and cutlery were whisked away, tableclothes were bundled up, and tables were dragged off to the side of the room. It was time to dance.


	6. The Dancing

**AN: Thank you again, all my lovely reviewers and followers! I'm getting closer to wrapping this story up. If you want to know what to expect at the end, go back to the beginning ;)**

Thorin took out his harp, Fili his fiddle, and other members of the company produced clarinets, drums, flutes, pipes, and all manner of cleverly-made instruments. At Fili's cue, they tuned to a B-flat and began to play a classic dwarven folksong that Kili hasn't heard since he was less than a score. He knew what to do.

"Tauriel," he said, bowing theatrically, "may I have this dance, my wife?"

She giggled. "Certainly, my husband."

Hands still bound, he led her into the middle of the floor. Cheers erupted from around the room. Tauriel leaned in close.

"Is this a bad time to mention that I'm actually REALLY bad at dancing?" she whispered.

"Aww, I'm sure you can't be that bad," Kili told her. "It's an easy reel, anyway. Just follow my lead."

Kili pricked up his ears for a moment, getting into the music, getting the beat in his head, and then he began.

At first, Tauriel felt utterly out of her depth. It was a fast dance, wild, but merry, and she felt as though she simply couldn't keep up. The confines of the handfast made her even more nervous to make a mistake.

"Two steps forward, yes, that's it Tauriel," Kili was saying, "and come down heavy on your heel. Keep your left hand in tight (as if you'd got any other choice), and extend your right arm, and then... here, into my arms, like this."

And as they whirled around the flagstone hall, her skirts and hair flying out in their wake, she began to feel at home.

The song ended, and breathlessly, Tauriel drew Kili into her arms. "This is amazing," she sighed.

The band struck up another tune, and other pairs began to flood into the dance floor. "May I cut in?" Legolas asked politely.

"Of course," Tauriel smiled.

Kili, standing beside her, gave the three-strand cord a little tug.

"Oh. Right. Sorry, Legolas," Tauriel told him.

Legolas pretended to look wounded, but there was a gleam in his eye, and all he said was, "It seems you two are quite attached to each other." He glanced around briefly and saw little Tilda standing by herself on the sidelines. "Would you like to dance with me?" he asked softly.

She looked up at him solemnly. "Yes, I should like that very much," she said shyly, curtsying.

After several dances together, Kili mentioned to Tauriel, "Do you think Fili wants to get a dance or two in?"

"Oh, I'm sure he does! What shall we do?"

"Come here," Kili said. "We're going to fill in for him."

During the brief transition period that was granted for the musicians, Kili called to his brother. "Fi! Put the fiddle down a minute, will you?"

"Don't you like it, brother?"

"It's greatly appreciated, but I happen to see a young lady out there who's currently missing out on dancing with you. Won't you go to her?"

Fili's nose twitched. "She wants to dance with me?"

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Here, hand me the fiddle."

"Your right hand is still bound, you idiot!"

"Guess you didn't really think that one through," Tauriel laughed at him.

"Oh, what does it matter? Look at her, Fili! Her rosy cheeks, her bright eyes, her unkempt hair... don't you want to go to her?"

Fili blushed. Slowly, he rested the fiddle and bow in his lap, as if in deep contemplation.

"Go," Kili whispered.

Fili stood bolt upright. With a flick of his blond hair and a "hold this," he was off.

"And the plot thickens," Kili murmured.

"Is Thorin going to be upset about this, too?" Tauriel asked. She wasn't exactly sure how long Kili had had to argue with his uncle for permission to marry her, but she could imagine. Now Fili seemed to have fallen for a daughter of men.

Kili sighed. "Probably, but the fact that I went first and did all the arguing already should soften the blow for Fili."

"Way to take one for the team," she grinned. "Look at them, Kili! Look at his face!"

Kili couldn't stop the smile that slowly spread across his own face.

"May we join them, Kili?"

"Yes," he replied, taking her arm. "We may."

Whether they spent minutes or hours on the dance floor, Kili could not tell. The whirling skirts and stomping boots and the rhythm of the drums echoed in his head endlessly; the song filled his soul and flowed down to his feet, keeping them in continuous motion. The sights, the sounds, the heat, all blended together in a tornado of joyous celebration. He felt he could live in this moment forever and never grow weary. "Perhaps," he thought, "this is how it feels to be an elf."

The song ended, and the storm of stomping feet subsided. "Kili?" Tauriel whispered. "Can we go outside for a moment for a breath of fresh air?"

He nodded, and together they slipped out the side door into the dark of night.


	7. The Blood

**AN: Sorry this chapter's a bit late! Not only have I been swamped with uni and work, but fanfiction wasn't uploading the new chapter… It's been a bit annoying lately! But anyways! On with the story! (This will be the second-to-last chapter, however, I have an idea for a short but sweet epilogue). Thanks for all your continued support!**

"Look!" Tauriel pointed. "Look at the stars shining for us!"

Kili gazed upwards. The sky was deep, deep black, an abyss filled with scattered stars like the dust of a shattered diamond.

"That one's Ancalinquë, the Glorious," she said, "and there's Wilwarin, the Butterfly."

"Which constellation do you like best?" he asked softly.

She responded without hesitation. "That one over there. Telumendil, the lovers of the heavens."

"We're in the sky, Tauriel," Kili whispered.

She took his left hand. "Forever."

Kili drew Tauriel into his arms and tipped her face down towards his.

As their lips met, the side door unexpectedly slammed, and a startled Kili inadvertently bit down hard on his lip, pulling back from Tauriel with a small gasp of surprise and pain. Tauriel whirled around to see a sheepish-looking Fili standing in the doorway.

"Sorry, sorry," he stammered quickly. "I only meant to tell you that the guests are beginning to leave, so uh, it'd be good if you-Durin's beard, is that blood? What exactly _were_ you doing?"

"J-just kissing!" Kili cried. "You startled me, and I bit my lip."

"Thank Mahal," Fili sighed. "I was afraid you were into that sort of stuff."

"_FI!_" an aghast Kili moaned multisyllabically. "Why would you even SAY something like that?"

"You never know!" Fili defended himself. "I won't judge. But never mind that, come on, let's go inside. Tauriel, are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she said with a wave of her hand, "but Kili's bleeding from the mouth. Eru Iluvatar, Fili, did you have to slam the door like that?"

"It was an accident!" he protested. "Ki, do you want me to get something to stop the bleeding? I mean, the guests will wonder-"

"Some cold water, if you could, Fili?" Tauriel asked politely. "Maybe a bit of old cotton?"

"I'm fine, really-"

"Be right back!" Fili called, scurrying off.

Kili sighed. "Well, that was… awkwardly romantic."

"Doesn't that describe our whole relationship, though?" Tauriel mused. "So far, it's basically been you getting hurt, me being awkward, and you being romantic."

"You're pretty romantic, too," Kili was quick to point out.

"Right, and you're quite awkward," she laughed. "Hey, don't look at me like that!"

Kili couldn't keep the exaggerated scowl on his face for more than a few seconds. His mouth inadvertently twisted up into a goofy grin, and they both shared a hearty laugh.

Fili returned back with a cup of cold water and a rag. "Here, rinse your mouth with this," he suggested, "and then dab away the blood. I'm so sorry I startled you two, I really didn't mean it. We've got to fix the hinges on that door; I'm afraid they're awfully tight after all those years of disuse."

"Oh, don't worry about it Fi! It's fine! A bit of blood never hurt anyone," Kili reassured him.

"I know a LOT of women who'd be willing to disagree with that," Tauriel murmured. No one heard it.

Fili dabbed away the blood on Kili's lip. "I think it's stopped bleeding," he said. "We ought to go in now so you can properly say goodbye to your guests."

As they followed him through the door, Fili leaned in and whispered in Kili's ear, "Are you ready for this?"

"It's just saying goodbye to guests, nothing I can't handle," Kili replied nonchalantly.

"No, _after_," Fili whispered.

Kili gave him a frightened look.

Fili's eyes softened, and he put a hand on Kili's shoulder. "You'll do great," he whispered.

Kili's features relaxed and he gave a small sigh of relief.

The couple headed to the front door to say their goodbyes, and Tauriel asked, "What was all that about?"

"Nothing."

"I hope you're not keeping secrets from your brand-new wife..." she teased.

"Fili was just... reassuring me," he said carefully.

Tauriel smiled. "I wish I had an older brother like him."

"Well, he's your brother-in-law now, so that's pretty close, right?"

"That's true!" she gasped. "Kili, this is the first time I've ever had a sibling!"

Together, they gave polite thank-yous and goodbyes to all the friends and family who had gathered for their wedding. Tauriel thought about her new "big" brother, and her new husband, and Kili worried, but at last the few stragglers were off and it was just the Company and the cleaning crew who remained.

Kili and Tauriel lingered awkwardly, not exactly sure when to leave or what to do. Gloin gave them a meaningful look and said, "Kili, it's about time we go."

"Are we leaving their wedding, Da? Where are we going?" Gimli asked.

Gloin hoisted Gimli up and hugged him. "You're going home to bed, with Ma," he said. "Off you go, laddie." He put his son down, patted him on the head, and sent him off.

Meanwhile, a pale Kili was pondering the meaning of "we."

"W-what do you mean, 'we'?" he asked nervously.

"Don't you even remember your own people's wedding customs?" Thorin asked incredulously.

"Not perfectly..."

"It's tradition that at the end of the evening, the immediate family members always walk the couple to their bed," Dis explained matter-of-factly.

Kili nodded, then his eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Fili showed up next to him, brandishing a torch.

"You're not serious, are you? You're making this up, right Fi?"

"Don't you remember Bombur's wedding?" Fili asked him. "When the adults all went off with torches at the end, and Mam told us to run along home with Balin?"

"I was in my teens then, Fili, of course I don't remember!" He looked at Thorin accusingly. "Why is this even a tradition?"

"It's symbolic," Thorin explained. "We're lighting the way to the future, for both of you, and for our family."

"This is quite different from our wedding customs," Tauriel quavered.

Bofur struck a match. "Let's get a move on," he said. "These torches aren't the only thing that'll be on fire tonight."

It was true; Kili's face was hotter than a Balrog's breath.


	8. The Bed

**AN: Last chapter! Yay! This fanfic sure was fun and fluffy to write; thanks for all the positive reviews and continued support from my followers! Just a reminder, there WILL be a short epilogue just to tie things up quite nicely. Read away! :) **

Wordlessly they crept down the corridors, the firelight dancing eerily off the stone walls and sending long silhouettes flickering across the floor. The atmosphere was strangely solemn. Kili wondered if Thorin yet disapproved. The hallway was so dark and lifeless, and further fears began to creep in despite all of Fili's reassurances. Erebor was so different from the vibrant forest kingdom he had taken his bride from. Kili himself couldn't imagine moving away from his kin into a foreign land, a new home, a new people, a new culture. He knew he couldn't give Tauriel what she had had before, and he began to feel hopelessly inadequate. He was on his way to consummate his marriage, but a stab of fear shot through him along with the single phrase, _"She deserves more than this."_

Then there was the doorway, pushed open with a loud creak. Kili's room had been made up for two. Kili's eyes roamed around, glancing half-heartedly at the new furniture. A pine chest of drawers, heavy and new-hewn. A new looking-glass. A side table. A new bed, larger, with the thick velvet curtains customarily used by married dwarven couples. Overall, the furnishings were spare but nonetheless luxurious; it was a suite suited for a prince (and a princess).

Thorin motioned towards the bed, and when the couple stood still and stared at him, he felt it necessary to say, "Sit down," rather gruffly. Stiff dwarven ritual had one last part to play in this affair. Kili and Tauriel sat on the edge of their bed, both feeling altogether shy and awkward.

"Good night," Thorin said, bowing slightly before them, and turning to leave. Bofur did the same, Bifur bowed in silence, and one by one, the members of the Company and the family gave their final blessing to the marriage bed. One by one, they got up and left. Fili was last.

"Blessings and a good night to you both," he said warmly, and as Kili looked to his brother's eyes he saw kindness and reassurance. Fili placed a hand on each of their shoulders, bowed, and then he left and they were alone.

Kili slowly turned his head and looked up into Tauriel's eyes.

"Are you all right?" she asked gently.

Kili's throat was strangely tight.

"Kili," she whispered, fear in her voice. "You're crying."

He took a deep breath. "Is this really what you want?"

"What do you mean? You're frightening me, Kili. Please don't be sad."

"I'm not sad," he said. "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"That you'll be disappointed in this. In your new home. Your new family. Your new life. That you'll be disappointed… in me," he whispered, looking down at the floor.

She pulled his face up towards hers. "Kili, listen to me," she said very seriously. "I've made my choice. I want to be with you. And I'm willing to live any life that will allow us to be together. How could I possibly be disappointed with the one I love?"

His heart beat faster. "You're sure you won't be? Even if I say something dumb, or make a mistake, or muck something up?"

"I promise I'll love you all the more for mucking things up," she smiled.

He reached forward to embrace her, but forgot about the handfasting and ended up pushing her left arm behind her back into an awkward sort of one-armed hug.

"Tauriel?" he said huskily.

"Yes?"

"Could you please help me untie this knot?"

Tauriel burst into gales of laughter. In between gasps, she managed to get out, "Why'd… you have to… say it in that… sexy voice like that?"

"I didn't mean to, I'd just been crying you see," he explained, "so my voice was a bit, umm…"

A still-giggling Tauriel was halfheartedly picking at the constricting knot. "What if I can't get it undone?" she laughed.

"Then we'll have to cut it," Kili suggested.

"Isn't it symbolic of our marriage though?"

"Well, we can't be tied together forever!"

"Only symbolically."

"Of course."

"Have you got a knife or a dagger, something to cut this with?" Tauriel asked.

"No, why would I bring a weapon to my wedding?"

Tauriel frowned. "Wait a moment! I think I have..." She took off one of her delicate jewelled slippers. "No, not this one... Ah! Here it is!" She proudly showed off a tiny pearl-handled knife she had concealed under the insole of her shoe.

Kili looked at her incredulously.

"A lady has to be prepared for whatever the day might bring," she said simply, as if bringing a concealed weapon to one's wedding was the most normal thing in the world.

"Watch out!" she said, severing the cord in a single reckless stroke.

They were free.

She pulled back from him, suddenly averting her eyes. "W-would you give me a moment to get ready?" she stuttered, getting up quickly and fleeing to the ensuite washroom.

Kili was left sitting on the edge of the bed, wondering what to do. He supposed his outer clothing was probably unnecessary, so he started by taking off his fancy jacket and shoes. But how much clothing should he take off? What was Tauriel doing to get ready? Should he be doing the same?

He settled for keeping on only his simple inner layers, which were traditional garments for summer. Right now, however, autumn was coming to a close, and Kili was soon shivering in his light clothing. Not only that, but his right hand was still achingly numb from the tight binding. He nervously wondered how it was possible to engage in foreplay when he couldn't even feel his dominant hand.

Before too long, though, he heard the quiet click of the door. It swung open cautiously. Tauriel peered out with one eye. Slowly, bashfully, she put first one foot, and then the other, through the doorway. Her long red hair fell like a curtain; the only raiment that covered her slim, pale body. She gazed at him from behind a lock of hair. "You're still wearing your clothes," she said quietly, turning her face to the floor and hiding behind her hair.

Kili only stared, wide-eyed, openmouthed. Here was his bride, free of culture, race, and class, undefined by the outside world, unshaped by the opinions and expectations of others, just simply… _herself_. In this room she was neither elf nor dwarf, warrior nor princess; she was Tauriel, and she was Kili's, and Kili was hers.

"Tauriel," he whispered. "You're beautiful. And I don't just mean that you look beautiful. I mean, you _are_ beautiful. Your soul is beautiful." He brushed the hair back from her face. "You don't need to hide anymore."

She looked directly into his eyes with a new confidence. "And neither do you," she said, and began to undo the buttons of his shirt one by one.

Kili's clothing lay forgotten on the floor in a crumpled heap. He pulled back the curtain, rolled back the covers, and took Tauriel to bed.

"_Meleth nín_," she whispered as she gently unplaited his wedding braids.


	9. The Epilogue

**AN: And here we've come past the final chapter in this little fic. Just a quick note: in the previous chapter when Tauriel says "melleth nín," that means "my love," basically the Sindarin version of "amrålimé." **

**In any case, I hope you enjoy this little dénouement! Thank you all for your kind reviews; they mean a lot to me! I'll do my best to write more fics in the future for everyone's enjoyment :)**

Epilogue

The sun was high in the sky before anyone in Erebor stirred the next morning. It had been a late night for everyone, postponing the next morning's breakfast. Still, somehow, the King and the heir managed to stumble down to the royal dining-room as the exhausted cooks prepared the morning meal.

"When do you think the newlyweds'll be down?" Fili murmured sleepily.

"Never," said Thorin. "We won't bother waiting for them." He began to munch halfheartedly on a piece of toast.

"Thorin?"

"Yes, Fili?"

"Any chance I'd be able to switch rooms?"

Thorin stopped mid-chew. "Whatever for, Fili? Your room's got the best view, aside from mine, of course. I thought you liked it!"

Fili shook his head. "Don't worry, Uncle, it's a great room. It's just, I don't think the walls are thick enough."

Thorin looked confused.

"My room is next door to Kili's," he explained slowly, "and you can better believe I was up all night, just like they were."

Thorin winced. "Mahal, Fili, I didn't need to know that."

"Well neither did I, Uncle," said Fili.

"You should be getting married at some point soon, though, Fili. You need an heir." He took another bite of toast. "I've been meaning to ask Dain if he knows of any suitable young dwarf-maids. Have you got anyone in mind?"

Fili paled. He bit his lip and looked down at his plate. "Well…" he said slowly. "There _is_ someone..."

"What's her name then?"

"...S-Sigrid."

Thorin sat quite still and stared at Fili, frowning slightly. "Who's that?"

Fili looked altogether uncomfortable.

Suddenly a flash of recognition passed across the king's face. "Wait a moment," he said, stroking his beard. "Wait just a minute here! Is she Bard's daughter?"

Fili nodded stiffly, avoiding eye contact.

Thorin opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but instead he just sighed very deeply and rested his head in his hands. He wondered what he had done to deserve not one, but two nephews who insisted on making such scandalous matches.

"You and Kili," he said finally, "are the most incorrigible children I have ever had the misfortune of being involved with."

Fili's face fell, but then Thorin added, "However, I care a great deal for you both, and I am sorry for all the danger I put you in during the quest and the battle. They have both been won, in part thanks to you. You have won your own freedom, and you may choose to marry whomever you wish."

Thorin saw the joy on his young nephew's face, and thought of Kili's bright innocent smile, and he realized, _This is what we came to save. _Not the gold, not the jewels, nor the stone halls of his forefathers. Not even their home. _Family, joy, love. Peace with all the peoples in Middle Earth. We had forgotten. _He smiled back at Fili and thought, _This is worth more than all the gold in Erebor._


End file.
